Sesame Street introduces Ji-Young, the neighborhood's first Asian American muppet
Sesame Street and its educational nonprofit, Sesame Workshop, is set to throw the welcome party of all welcome parties for its newest muppet — a 7-year-old named Ji-Young. She loves playing her electric guitar and skateboarding, and is now the first Asian American muppet on the street.
Ji-Young will make her debut in a new episode, "See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special," which premieres Nov. 25. During a "Neighbor Day" celebration, Ji-Young is confronted by a racist comment telling her to "go back home," the Associated Press reports. Through the help of other Asian American Sesame Street residents and beloved characters, the episode tackles big conversations about racism along with celebrations of the diversity of the Asian and Pacific Islander communities. The special also features celebrity appearances, including Marvel star Simu Liu, chef Melissa King, and Olympic torchbearer and athlete Naomi Osaka.
Sesame unveiled the new resident early to the Associated Press, who spoke to the new character's puppeteer and partial inspiration, Kathleen Kim. Both Ji-Young and Kim are Korean American, something that was essential to the character's design, the Associated Press reports. "It was very important that she was specifically Korean American, not just like, generically Korean, but she was born here," Kim told the publication. "My one hope, obviously, is to actually help teach what racism is, help teach kids to be able to recognize it and then speak out against it. But then my other hope for Ji-Young is that she just normalizes seeing different kinds of looking kids on TV.”
The special was co-directed by veteran Sesame Street actor Alan Muraoka, who plays Alan, the owner of Sesame Street's Hooper's Store. "It’s a powerful thing when kids see people like themselves represented on screen and in stories— it supports them as they figure out who they are and who they want to be,” Muraoka wrote in the special's press release.
"See Us Coming Together" was also supported by the Asian American Foundation, which provides funding and resources to Asian American and Pacific Islander communities around the country.
Viewing guides and activities for parents and children to complete while watching "See Us Coming Together" will be available online the week the special airs at sesame.org/seeus. Families can tune into the Thanksgiving Day special on HBO Max's Cartoonito, PBS KIDS, and Sesame Street’s YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram channels.